Sometimes what you need is an oasis. A place to breathe. To pause.

Whether you're operating a rustic park or a downtown square, a sports park with multiple ballfields or a destination playground, there are many decisions to make when it comes to designing and outfitting outdoor spaces.

As I write this, many of the facilities we turn to for recreation and fitness—health clubs, campus rec centers, senior centers and more—are temporarily closed as the human race tries to flatten the curve and get ahead of transmission of COVID-19. But, there are still plenty of outdoor opportunities for fitness and recreation available to the American public.

Pulling into the driveway yesterday (Feb. 23) as the sun was starting to fall, I saw some little flashes of yellow out of the corner of my eye. It seems early, but the last week of February is actually pretty typical for the first emergence of the winter aconite that grows in little patches throughout my yard.

I'd like to give a shout out to the anxious and the overwhelmed. To those of you (us) who wake up thinking about a full day ahead and think, "I just can't," but then go ahead and do it all anyway. To those who take on seemingly impossible tasks, regardless of their seeming impossibility.

Building on the longtime success of our Annual State of the Industry Report, last year we began compiling data specifically about aquatic facilities, which makes this our second annual Aquatic Trends Report.

In our second annual Aquatic Trends Report, we examine the results of an extensive survey of hundreds of aquatic professionals to uncover the latest trends in their facilities, covering everything from equipment and programming to budgets and challenges.

If you've ever adopted an older dog, you know that the old saw about old dogs and new tricks isn't literally true. Twice now, I've adopted full-grown dogs and taught them new tricks.

Here we are at the beginning again—and not just the beginning of another new year, but the kickoff of the '20s. If you've been a reader of Recreation Management for more than a couple of years, you already know I have a fondness for beginnings.

I suspect it's a cliché to suggest that the year 2020 brings vision to mind, but since it does, I'd like to take this time to express gratitude for all those conservation-minded people and organizations with the vision to, hopefully, help us improve our individual and collective environmental footprint.